R v Camelo-Gomez [2022] NSWSC 136

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: R v Camelo-Gomez [2022] NSWSC 136 Hearing dates: 14, 15 and 16 February 2022 Date of orders: 21 February 2022 Decision date: 21 February 2022 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Wilson J Decision: 1 The Notice of Motion filed on 20 December 2021 seeking a permanent stay of the accused's trial is dismissed Catchwords: CRIME – TRIAL - murder – application for a permanent stay of proceedings – delay of two decades between murder and charge – witnesses unavailable - loss of evidence over time – forensic disadvantage to the accused – contamination of witness evidence by coronial proceedings – accused feared being charged over lengthy period – necessity for accused to take steps for the care of children in the event of charge – question of the oppressive and vexatious nature of the proceedings – public interest – balancing exercise to be undertaken Legislation Cited: Coroners Act 1980 (NSW) Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) Cases Cited: Barton v The Queen (1980) 147 CLR 75 Clarkson v R [1987] VR 962 Darwiche v R [2011] NSWCCA 62 Decision Restricted [2021] NSWCCA 117 Dupas v The Queen (2010) 241 CLR 237; [2010] HCA 20 Eastman v Director of Public Prosecutions (No 13) [2016] ACTCA 65 Gill v Walton (1991) 25 NSWLR 190 Jago v The District Court of New South Wales (1989) 168 CLR 239; [1989] HCA 58 Moevao v. Department of Labour [1980] 1 NZLR 464 R v Adler, Court of Criminal Appeal (NSW), 11 June 1992, unrep) R v Goldberg, Court of Criminal Appeal (NSW), 23 February 1993, unrep) R v Kneebone (1999) 47 NSWLR 450; [1999] NSWCCA 279 R v McCarthy, Court of Criminal Appeal (NSW), 12 August 1994, unrep) R v Nicholson (1998) 102 A Crim R 459 R v Warwick (No. 93) [2020] NSWSC 926 R v Warwick (No. 94) [2020] NSWSC 1168 Ridgeway v The Queen (1995) 184 CLR 19; [1995] HCA 66 Rogers v The Queen (1994) 181 CLR 251; [1994] HCA 42 The Queen v Apostilides (1984) 154 CLR 563; [1984] HCA 38 The Queen v Edwards (2009) 83 ALJR 717; [2009] HCA 20 The Queen v Glennon (1992) 173 CLR 592; [1992] HCA 16 Tony Strickland (A Pseudonym) & Ors v Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions (2018) 266 CLR 325; [2018] HCA 53 Walton v Gardiner (1993) 177 CLR 378; [1993] HCA 77 Whitehorn v The Queen (1983) 152 CLR 657; [1983] HCA 42 Category: Procedural rulings Parties: Regina Isabela Carolina Camelo-Gomez Representation: Counsel: D Scully & G Steedman (Crown) B Rigg SC & C Wasley (Accused)